Santorum huddles with conservative leaders

To chart path forward in presidential race

Rick Santorum huddled in Virginia Thursday with a group of conservative leaders led by Reagan-era activists Richard Viguerie and Rebecca Hagelin to chart a path forward in the presidential race, multiple sources familiar with the meeting told POLITICO.

The former Pennsylvania senator personally met with a crew of longtime activists and consulted with others over the phone, sources said, as part of a late attempt to unify the right against Mitt Romney.

Santorumcampaign officials confirmed that the candidate consulted with conservative leaders after a trio of primary losses on Tuesday night sparked a wave of calls for him to exit the race.